decline

1[intransitive]to become smaller, fewer, weaker, etc.Support for the candidate continues to decline.The number of tourists going to the resort declined by 10% last year.Her health was declining rapidly.

2[intransitive,transitive](formal)to refuse politely to accept or to do somethingsynonymrefuse1I offered to give them a ride but they declined.decline somethingto decline an offer/invitationShe declined a second glass of wine and called a taxi.decline to do somethingTheir spokesman declined to comment on the allegations.

3[intransitive,transitive]decline (something)(grammar)if a noun, an adjective, or a pronoun declines, it has different forms according to whether it is the subject or the object of a verb, whether it is in the singular or plural, etc. When you decline a noun, etc., you list these forms.compareconjugate